British Columbians encouraged to shop local during Small Business Week

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Kahlon noted that the vaccine card has allowed businesses to safely open and has given confidence to both employees and patrons.

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The province also stated that it has been supporting small and medium sized businesses throughout the pandemic.

Over 90 per cent of the applicants for the Small and Medium Sized Business Recovery Grant and 99 per cent of those who applied for the Circuit Breaker Business Relief Grants were successful, which allowed employers to keep staff working while also implementing safety protocols.

The province also used a new Launch Online Grant program to help B.C. businesses build their e-commerce capabilities and offer services online. This program, which wrapped up in September 2021, provided nearly $40 million to B.C. businesses, and nearly 50 per cent of those applicants were from regional or Indigenous, Black and people of colour (BIPOC)-owned businesses.

The province notes that additional supports are in place for businesses to access as the pandemic continues to create complications for business operations throughout B.C.